Braised beef in red wine (Rinderschmorbraten)

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 160 °C (conventional). Trim the skin and sinew from the meat, pat dry and salt all over. Cut the vegetables as described.
2. Heat the clarified butter in a large roasting pot until very hot and sear the joint all over for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove and season with pepper.
3. Add the vegetables, tomato purée and sugar to the pot and fry for about 5 minutes. Deglaze with the red wine and reduce right down.
4. Pour in the stock, add the bay leaves, thyme and rosemary and set the meat on top of the vegetables. Cover and braise on the middle shelf of the oven for about 2.5 to 3 hours until the meat is tender, turning it once halfway.
5. Take out the joint and keep it wrapped in foil to rest. Pour the braising liquid with the vegetables through a sieve into a pan, pressing the vegetables to extract all the juices.
6. Bring the sauce to the boil, stir in the cornflour paste and simmer for about 2 minutes; repeat if necessary until it thickens. Season with salt, pepper and mustard.
7. Slice the roast and serve with the sauce; Spätzle, boiled potatoes or potato dumplings go well with it.

Drink with it

• Red wine · excellent match

  Lemberger, Blaufränkisch or Chianti Classico Riserva

  Mature tannins and dark fruit echo the red wine reduction, and the acidity keeps the rich sauce in balance.

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• Dark beer · excellent match

  Dark Doppelbock or Dunkel

  Malty roasted and caramel notes combine with the sauce and the roasted vegetables, and the carbonation relieves the richness of the braised meat.

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• Sour beer · good match

  Flemish red ale (Oud Bruin)

  Its mild acidity and fruit cut through the sauce, as in the Belgian braising tradition.

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